By Jan Lemucchi of Kern Community Foundation

The Kern Community Foundation Board approved nine recipients for its Kern Community Response Grant Program, totaling $120,000. The organizations provide relief to Kern County residents experiencing the effects of the economic crisis in our country.

The recipients are:

• Golden Empire Gleaners – $20,000, Funding provides operating funds to assist in feeding 20,000 families per month
• Kern County Teen Challenge – $20,000, Funding sustains the Emergency Induction Phase Program which provides food, shelter, safety & crisis / victim support for individuals seeking recovery from substance abuse
• Bakersfield Homeless Center – $15,000, Funding provides kitchen, food, dorms & shelter services to the homeless
• Alliance Against Family Violence & Sexual Assault – $15,000, Funding goes to the Emergency Shelter Program providing food, shelter & clothing
• N.E.E.D.S. Center Inc. – $15,000, the “Emergency Food Program” provides one week of food to those in need and “Weekly Food Program” (Pantry) which assists with the food supply to supplement weekly food requirements based on a family size
• Flood Bakersfield Ministries, Inc. – $13,000, Funding provides meals, housing referrals / placement, outreach, volunteer work, and support / mentoring services
• Assistance League – $10,000, Program provides school clothing for socioeconomic disadvantaged elementary school boys & girls
• The Salvation Army, Golden State Division – $10,000, Funding provides remote offices with cash assistance in eastern Kern, high-desert and Buttonwillow areas for rent & mortgage, gas, electric, and medical assistance
• Kern River Valley Senior Citizens, Inc. - $2,000, Meals on Wheels program delivers free, hot, daily meals to home-bound seniors

Since Kern Community Foundation was founded in 1999, it has been known for project and program-directed grantmaking. In recent years, the foundation has come to realize the valuable work accomplished by nonprofit organizations rooted in the ability to meet basic organizational needs — especially now during this time of economic crisis.

In 2005, the Weingart Foundation awarded a three-year, $486,000 grant to Kern Community Foundation to establish a re-granting program for Kern County nonprofits and to stimulate additional endowment contributions through a $150,000 matching challenge. The Weingart-Kern Community Foundation Fund first awarded grants in October of 2006. Since then, 32 organizations have received grants through this program.

For the Kern Community Response Grant Program for 2009-2010, Kern Community Foundation combined $99,175 from the balance of the Weingart-Kern Community Foundation re-granting funds along with $20,825 of KCF Discretionary grantmaking funds totaling $120,000 to award these nine nonprofit organizations.

For more information about grant opportunities, call 325-5346 or visit www.kernfoundation.org.